Teacher charged with hugging, kissing student

27Feb

ANAHEIM HILLS – An English teacher charged with inappropriately kissing and hugging one of his 14-year-old female students at El Rancho Charter School is expected to appear in court Monday for an arraignment hearing, authorities said.

Joshua Alexander Evans, 32, of Fullerton is facing two felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child between 14 or 15.

Evans is accused of “developing a relationship” with a 14-year-old female student between December 2011 and January 2012, according to a news release from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors allege he groomed the victim by sending her texts, emails and playing a game with her over the cell phone.

The student’s mother discovered that Evans allegedly met the girl at another student’s home and kissed the girl on the mouth and embraced her, prosecutors said.

The student’s mother reported the crime to the school and the Anaheim Police Department launched an investigation.

Evans was arrested Thursday and is being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail, jail records show.

If convicted, Evans faces three years and eight months in state prison and mandatory lifelong registration as a sex offender.

Authorities suspect there may be other victims. Anyone with information or who believes they may have been a victim is urged to call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at 714-347-8794 or Anaheim Police Detective Joe Atkinson at 714-765-1487.